River birch
The end of January in New England signals that Winter is in full swing. With the exception of a few oaks (Quercus), all the deciduous trees have shed their leaves and without snow, a persistent grey often coats the ground. Though we wait for a more vibrant Spring, there are still many interesting sights to discover among our native plants during a simple walk in the woods. The most obvious (and often overlooked) are the textures and colors of trees now devoid of leaves. 
American sycamore For texture it is hard to beat river birch (Betula nigra) with its flaking sheets of gray, brown, salmon, peach, orange or lavender bark. Like all birches (and cherry trees (Prunus)), its horizontal lenticels create a confusing pattern to those more accustomed to bark that is more vertically oriented. A close second is the American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), which is often confused with the imported London plane tree (Platanus × acerifolia). Its base’s thick brown bark emerges from the ground morphing to a patchy white and brown that sloughs off in scales or plates. 
Shagbark hickory Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) is perhaps one of the more common and generous trees in New England. The nuts of this hickory are delicious and coveted by people and squirrels alike. And as its name implies, mature trees have chunks of shaggy bark hanging off their trunks; younger specimens (much like people) have much smoother skins. 
Red osier dogwood Colors also can surprise in unexpected ways. Red osier dogwoods (Cornus sericea) appear more as a bush than a tree because of their diminished height and tendency to grow in clumps. But in the Winter, their vibrant red branches stand out from their often gray neighboring plants. Paper or white birch (Betula papyrifera) is becoming harder to spot in southern New England because of warming temperatures and inability to withstand the onslaught of the bronze birch borer. But you can still spot them, their layers of distinctively peeling white bark are hard to beat for interest. 
Striped maple Harder to find, but no less interesting, is the striped maple (Acer pennsylvanica). It is a much smaller tree than most native maples as it grows beneath them; it’s bark is smooth and green or greenish brown. It features long white or pale vertical lines on younger wood. Look for it in thickly forested areas. 
Christmas fern If you keep your eyes only peeled high, you will miss a bunch of greenery, not counting persistent evergreens like rhododendrons. One are simple mosses (Bryophyta) that maintain their color throughout the Winter. Their velvet like surface is often soft to the touch regardless of season. A surprising green is the aptly named Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), which stays fresh looking throughout the Winter and dies back in the early Spring. These examples are just the more common native plants that you can find relatively easily on a nice sunny day in the woods. Enjoy.
